History ramps up unscripted slate with five original series

A+E Networks’ History has bolstered its non-fiction programming slate with five original series orders.
Anchoring the slate is Matador Content’s competition series Knight Fight (pictured; 8 x 60 minutes), in which six fighters customize ...

A+E Networks’ History has bolstered its non-fiction programming slate with five original series orders.

Anchoring the slate is Matador Content’s competition series Knight Fight (pictured; 8 x 60 minutes), in which six fighters customize era-specific armor and weaponry to engage in a series of full-contact battles.

Matador’s Jay Peterson and Todd Lubin are executive producers, with Vincent Cariati serving as showrunner and exec producer. History’s Jim Pasquarella and Mary E. Donahue are the EPs for History.

Knight Fight debuts Nov. 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Elsewhere, New York prodco Blackfin is producing Brothers in Arms, a 5 x 60 minute series which sees Army veterans Rocco Vargas and Eli Cuevas combine their historical military weaponry expertise in an attempt to become the best one-stop shop for all things military.

Yamashita’s Gold (working title; 8 x 60 minutes) from Ample Entertainment will examine the last great mystery of World War II in which Japanese soldiers, led by General Yamashita, buried a treasure deep in the Philippine jungle.

Tentatively titled competition series American Butcher, meanwhile, will see master butchers battle one another in a historical showdown designed to put their skills, strategy and technique to the ultimate test. The 6 x 60-minute series is produced by Railsplitter Pictures, with Matt Ginsburg and Tim Healy as executive producers. History’s Pasquarella, Gavin and Donahue are also executive producers.

Finally, Ax Men Reborn (w/t; 10 x 60 minutes) will chart the economic and physical challenges of logging in the Pacific Northwest. For Original Productions, Jeff Hasler, Brian Lovett and Brian Mandle are executive producers. Zachary Behr, Stiller and Gavin are EPs for History.

“History is committed to delivering entertaining, compelling and informative programming and the solid performances of our new non-fiction launches this year prove this content is resonating with our loyal audience,” said History’s Eli Lehrer, EVP of programming, in a statement.

The network capped off its commissioning announcement with the renewal of six hit series, including a 30-hour season six order for Prometheus Entertainment’s The Curse of Oak Island (Nov. 13 at 9 p.m. ET/PT); a 10-episode second season of Prometheus’ The Curse of Civil War Gold; season two of 51 Minds Entertainment’s Truck Night in America; season six of Alone from Leftfield Pictures; season 10 of Truly Original’s Swamp People ; and season eight of Mountain Men from Warm Springs Productions.